Things That Happen During an Office Fitout
If you are thinking about undertaking an office fitout for the first time, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns about the process and how it will impact your vision of a new design scheme. An office fitout professional is trained to handle all aspects of the transformation, but here are the steps involved in the fitout so that you can know what to expect.
Design Scheme -- The first step of office fitouts is for you and the professional fitout person to figure out your goals. You may have the entire fitout in your head, but it must be translated onto blueprints and designs so that the construction can begin. The design scheme you choose may have to be altered based on your budget, so be prepared to discuss ways to cut or trim your ideas. In this design stage, you must decide whether you will retain final approval of all design changes, or if you are giving your fitout expert the power to make changes after the basic design plans have been drawn.
When designing your fitout, you must take into account things such as colour, space and placement of desks and chairs to maximise efficiency. For example, fitout experts often recommend that you place work desks and cubicles where the most amount of natural light can shine, as darker offices have been shown to decrease positive vibes.
Site Management -- Once the designs are completed, the fitout professional must hire the construction company that will implement all the changes, and obtain all the necessary worksite permits necessary to satisfy Council regulations. Your office may also need an inspection if you are changing fundamental structures such as your roofing or if you are rewiring.
You may also need to obtain the permission of adjacent offices that are impacted by your fitout if the work being done will obstruct or limit access to those offices. Site management also includes how complaints from other offices will be handled and who will be the liaison between you and the construction team.
Building -- After site management is in place, your office fitout building can begin. The construction stage is always the longest part of a fitout, especially if you have a complex design scheme. Remember that delays are part of the building process and that you may have to adjust some of your vision if certain building materials are not available, or if the price of certain materials has increased, which will throw off your budget. Flexibility is the key to this phase as seldom do things go exactly as you planned.